


The Illusion of Faith [Outlast!AU]

by DelDarling (TauntingTyrant)



Series: Whispers In The Dark [1]
Category: Outlast (Video Games), Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossdressing, M/M, Outlast!AU, Outlast: Whistleblower, Technically. You'll see, The puzzleshipping is more in mentions than anything, Transmisogyny, Violence, Yugi Mutou and the bad terrible no good day, Yugi is on his own, is a warning because The Groom is a transphobic/misogynistic piece of garbage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-02-28 15:26:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13274340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TauntingTyrant/pseuds/DelDarling
Summary: "The illusion of faith is strongest when there is nothing left to believe in." Yugi Mutou sets out to expose corruption in a way that puts his sanity to the test.





	1. [Season 0] Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my (super special awesome) datemate! Who gave me the idea of an Outlast!AU featuring Yugi in the Whistleblower Campaign. I started this when I was high/coming down from wisdom teeth removal, continued it when the anesthesia wore off. Nothing makes sense but hey that’s okay. It’s an Outlast AU revolving around the events of the game. Some things will be left out to ensure I have a better chance of finishing the fic itself. Mostly transcribed events from the game, but with the involvement of Yugi himself and some AU continuity from Yugioh. In order to keep things consistent and close enough to reaching a resolution, it takes place in Japan, and some names have been changed.
> 
> Read at your own risk, hit that kudos, and comment if you like to live on the edge.

**PROLOGUE:**  
  
His vision is the first thing that comes back to him. Two men in scrubs and gas masks are speaking to him, but he cannot tell. Their words are farther and farther away the more he tries to catch them, leaving him to wonder if they’d ever really spoken at all. The world turns upside down as he’s hoisted onto the table and forced to face one of the men in the next moment.

“... open… eyes…”

_What?_

The man’s face is irate, showing distaste for the lack of desired action. He feels his face jerk to the side, a faint sensation jarring him. He’d been slapped.

“What’s… matter… did someone hit you?” Yugi didn’t need to be awake to know that he was being mocked by the staff member. Cold orbs are focused upon his face, filling him with a chill he hadn’t through possible from one look alone.

“Here… Let me help you.” The man is leaning in, tongue drawn out. He’s getting closer and closer to his face and Yugi finds himself wanting to crawl out of his skin. His breathing is sharp and labored, panic becoming his introduction to reality. Disgusting, absolutely disgusting! Why did that man touch him like that? Why would he do that? Ew, ew, ew...

Suddenly the worker is drawing back, eyes averted to a mysterious force behind him. He’s having a conversation. The young man doesn’t know about what, but it isn’t good. He looks to the screens in front of him, confused by their contents and unable to understand just what was there. Were they waves? Flames? A mosaic of shadows?

A wave of agony shot through him, his world going black.

 

* * *

 

**2 Hours earlier…**

  
**_From: 11101110127(匿名)_ **  
**_To: アップシェアマイル_ **

_Subject: TIP/Illegal activity monitoring at Iryūjon Psychiatric systems_

_You don’t know me. Have to make it quick, they might be watching._

_I did 2 weeks of software consult at Iryūjon Psychiatric systems in Ōkibona-Yama. There’s all sorts of NDAs I’m breaking right now but seriously (excuse my language), fuck those guys_

_Terrible things happening here. I don’t understand it. Don’t believe half the things I saw. Doctors talking about dream therapy going too deep…_

Every now and again the blonde peered up from the screen, his eyes glued firmly to the door behind the operating systems. He made sure that he couldn’t be snuck up on, as the contents of this email could mean the end of him in a painful fashion. Yugi felt his stomach twist painfully, the depth of his actions taking a physical toll on him.

_… People are getting hurt, and Iryūjon is making money._

_They need to be exposed._

The door creaked, leading Yugi to frantically hit send, shutting the computer as soon as the server sent it through. He heard his name called, exasperation in the tone of his caller. Rising as calmly as possible from the chair, the young man paced quickly to the doorway.

“They’ve already paged for you three times, Mutou.”

“Ah, sorry about that.” _Breathe, Yugi. Breathe._ “I lost track of time.”

“What are you even doing in here anyway? Thought you were just a software tech.” The question was left unanswered as he advanced forward to the security desk. He was questioned once again over his lateness, only for it to be discarded in favor of sending him through the door in a timely fashion.

“Mutou, finally! Where have you been?” Sliding into his chair, nimble fingers began to ghost across the keys once again, symbols appearing upon the screen to operate the system. “We’ve got a patient 30 seconds out and we’re blind inside his head.” He was already at work, tuning out the conversation around him with a determined look. Even as he heard his name thrown around multiple times, Yugi held on resolutely to giving the illusion of productivity.

This would all come crashing down soon enough.

He felt anxiety gnaw at him as the patient was brought across the deck below, pleading to be freed. Yugi knew the patient by his moniker ‘The Groom’. Prior to his admittance to the asylum he’d been a serial killer who specifically targeted women. The blonde hadn’t gotten access to the psych file on account of his temporary position there, but the whispers were enough to confirm things he’d wondered about.

It was Yugi’s mistake, thinking that his tenure here could help anyone. That his work could rehabilitate the insane through dream therapy. Even at 23 he loved games, wanting to use them as a force to do good in the world. The imagination was often the biggest key to what went on in the mind, and when he’d been invited to sign on as part of the organization’s non-profit research to help patients, how could he say no?

By the time he’d realized his mistake, the Non disclosures were signed, and information was given to him that prevented him from talking to anyone about it. The hungry gleam in their eyes told Yugi of secrets which lied beneath the surface of the ‘charity’ organization.

The body disappeared down below, only the sounds of a scuffle to clue him in.

Then the patient appeared, slamming himself against the window. Unable to help himself, a choked gasp escaped him as Yugi scrambled back from his chair.

“Help me! Don’t let them do this! YOU-- I know you! Stop this, you have to help me, **YOU HAVE TO--!** ” The Groom was dragged away in that instant.

“Calm yourself! This is a high security--”

“Agent, Mutou-san was just surprised. I’m sure he’s calm and _eager_ to finish his work.” The man’s cold eyes settled on him, gleaming with predatory delight. Yugi would hate to get stuck in a room alone with that guy.

Soon enough the cameras were patched in, giving him a view of the Groom that he wished he didn’t have. Red scabs began to form upon his face as the engine ran again, putting a visible strain on the older male’s body. Sympathy rose within Yugi, despite what the past of the killer was. Not even someone like him deserved such pain.

“You’re finished, Yugi Mutou. You may go.” Relief shot through him in that instant. As he rose from the chair, he chose not to look back, murmuring a quiet _‘thank you’_ to the one who dismissed him. Even at the idea that he was seconds from the door, he felt a knot of dread within him.

_‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, Yugi.’_

It took everything in him not to take off running back to the office to retrieve his computer. Calm, he had to be calm if no one was to suspect him of something. **_(That was assuming no one already had him under close watch)_**. The young man came down the hallway, his feet measuring the distance in the tiles below. The journey itself was less than 2 minutes, but for him it felt as if he’d been walking a long time.

Pushing the door open, Yugi ran his fingers through tri-colored locks, a heavy sigh on his lips. A few more steps and he could go home. He could wait this out and see the corporation come down for their insane human rights violations.

He could see **him** again, and they could go forward with the information he gathered. Together.

Things would be okay.  
Walking through the doorway, he made his way to the corner where his laptop laid on the desk around that bend.

Stepping out, his eyes caught sight of the man in his chair. His immediate response was to lose his breath.

“E-Ekiyū-san.” Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Someone’s violated his non-disclosure agreement.” That was it, he couldn’t stay still. He had to run away, get out of the door before it was too late! Turning on his heel, he stepped forward, only to collide with something solid, being shoved back. Yugi was yanked by the hair before stars entered his vision, a probable result of having his head slammed into the wall. His already shaky legs crumpled beneath him, his body falling to stone floors.

“Yugi Mutou, Consulting contract 8208. Former National Duel Monsters Champion .Graduated at the top of his class from Domino University… **But** still not smart enough to realize his place in our fold.” Ekiyū began, as if reading off Yugi’s file right at that second. “One of our finest Software engineers with a level 3 security clearance. Smart enough to operate the system proficiently,” The laptop was thrown down right before him, cracking against the floor. “ **Not** enough to know that a borrowed laptop, onion router, and firewall patch wouldn’t be enough to fool the _leading supplier_ of biometric software in Japan.” Blood ran down his face, dizziness taking hold of his small form. The rare emotion of hatred spiked within him, all at that evil man. This evil place, a place he was going to die in…

“Not only was it stupid… It was rather, crazy.” Oh. “We are going to have to commit you for your own good.” A slow smile spread out on the raven haired man’s face, sending a current of rage through the blonde. “Yugi Mutou, do you willingly submit yourself for psychological treatment?”

_“Nnn… Nno--”_

“Did you hear that agent?”

“He said yes, sir.”

“Oh and? Did he just volunteer for the Morphogenic Engine program?” The guard gave an affirmative nod, staring down at the victim with a grin.

“Very brave of you, Yugi. We here at Iryūjon Corporation appreciate your bravery and sacrifice.” The man turned toward the doorway, his expression unseen. “Give him a light anaesthetic, will you?”

“With pleasure.” Two guards advanced, baton in hand.

_‘.... This is going to hurt.’_

And it did, until a kick to the face knocked him out cold.


	2. [Season 1] A World of Madness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Hope Abandon, Ye Who Enter Here.

He woke with a start, screams tearing from his lips as the machine made quick work of him. His mind was being ripped apart by the very engine he helped innovate and advance for the benefit of the people in this very asylum. Yugi thrashed in the chair wildly, surprised when his restraints popped open moments later. He threw himself onto his feet only to come crashing down on his knees. The world around him shifted, leaving him to try and get his body to comply. He looked to the cell beside him, seeing another prisoner banging against the glass.

Something floated behind him, the appearance shrouded by darkness. There appeared to be wisps of smoke dancing across the glass.

“H-huh--?” The body then rose to the air, thrown against the wall in the cell. Startled, Yugi fell onto his back as the lights went out. Labored pants escaped him as waves began to dance across his vision, the throbbing in his head increasing tempo. It hurt god it hurt so much!

The young man heard screams, but found himself unsure of whether or not they were someone else’s or his own. Everything was falling apart right in front of him and no one around to help. No guarantee that anyone would come and see the damage. Climbing to his feet, Yugi caught a glance of something shiny on the stool against the wall.

 _‘A camcorder?’_ He made his way over, taking the camera into shaky hands.

This was how he was going to document the evidence.

Before turning it on, he found a piece of paper and a pen and began to write. There was one person he was missing more than anything at this second. One person who would never give up on him in the time that was pass his death if it were to come.

_Atem,_

_I messed up. Gosh… Where Am I? I don’t know whether it’s been days or hours that passed. My brain’s filled with static, they made me watch the… The engine. I have to get help. Have to call for help. Atem, I’m so sorry._

_If I die, I know you’ll find me._  
_I know you won’t rest until you find my body. I really hope you find the camera with my corpse. I hope the evidence does what I couldn’t; It exposes the truth._

_Atem, my other half. I messed up. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I messed up so bad._

_Forgive me._

_-Yugi_

Shoving the paper into his pocket, he advanced forward, looking through the lense of the video camera to guide him. Night Vision could compensate for what his eyes couldn’t see. He let out a shuddered breath at the blood on the glass, no doubt from the neighboring cell. The body was gone, so it seemed.

Until he peered through the exit.

He sharply inhaled, finding relief when the man passed him by.

Yugi padded quietly down the hallways, looking up from the camcorder when he found a source of light through glass doors. There were many people inside from the looks of it. Some sort of commotion no doubt.

One of them was standing over someone, a hatchet in hand. 

Correction; A blood stained hatchet.

 **“You there!”** The blonde tightened his grip on the camcorder, ready to run. **“No observers!”** He didn’t need to be told twice. He turned to walk down the hall further, not wanting to stick around and see what came next.

There was a path in the next hall. The red flash of the siren above signaled that there was something severely wrong in the facility, something that was quite obvious at this point in time.

He felt something behind his eyes explode in white, sending him backwards as a shadowy figure came at him. It was malevolent and seemed to tower over him especially. Even after puberty, the former duel monsters champion was still a bit on the short side.

The young man took off running back from where he came, scrambling to open the door and get away. It was on his heels, and the waves were back in his vision, the corners dyed in vermillion. He was well and truly losing him. Yugi threw himself against the next door, finding relief when it was open. He ran immediately into the first stall of the bathroom, hoping it could conceal him from the beast. Yugi made sure to turn off the camera.

He slapped a hand over his mouth to soften his breaths. Sound could mean death, and death wasn’t an appealing option. Not so quickly anyway.

It felt like hours before he got the nerve to peer out of the stall. It was even longer than that before he slipped out. He’d noticed a small table in the corner with what looked like a battery pack. Picking it up, he slipped the item into his pocket. This would come in handy for later.  


* * *

 

How did he get into this mess?

Oh, right. He chose to intern here. Rubbing his throat, Yugi shoved a chair into the doorknob, hopeful that it would hold up until he found a way out. Which was easier in thought than practice, because the former engineer stumbled into a room with no other exit. He was trapped.

On the bright side, the patient who still wanted to strangle him some more couldn’t get in the room. That was a very positive outcome.

Running his fingers through his hair, Yugi began to think of the possible moves he could make. If he waited long enough, maybe he’d been forgotten.  
But how long could he wait? And what if his attacker came back with friends?  
It was often that the other patients would move in packs. They wanted revenge, and the blonde couldn’t blame them.

Even if it meant they’d tear into anyone they got their hands on. Including him.  
  
No, he had to have faith he’d get out. Yugi had to see this through, bring the evidence forward in any way he could. He looked to the ceiling aimlessly, unsure of where to go from here.

 _‘Nowhere to go except up.’_ And up seemed exactly like where he was going. In the corner of the room there was a vent, the covering hanging down from it. That would be his out, he just needed to figure out where he was going first. Climbing onto the table by the vent, he jumped, pulling himself up and into the space. Yugi has never been more grateful in any other moment than this one for his lack of muscle mass. He was just the right size to crawl around comfortably in the duct.

 _“We need help now!”_ Pulling himself toward the noise, Yugi looked down the grate where voices could be heard conversing.

_“If we get them on the radio they can send help! We’ve just gotta get to the prison.”_

_“There’s no guarantee it even works.”_

_“Listen, the radio is short wave. If the power is on, that means we’ve got a signal. We’ve gotta get to that radio.”_  
  
_“Do **you** wanna take responsibility for what’s going on in here?”_ The rest of the conversation was lost to him as the two guards walked away.

A short wave radio! If Yugi could get to it, he could make it work for him no matter what was going on. This was right up his alley, but he had to find his way to the prison before any of that was possible. He just had to make his way over to the Prison block.

He took a moment to pull out his paper and pen, scribbling once again. Writing out these notes for Atem made it feel like he wasn’t completely alone here, even if he was. He knew that if his partner were here, they’d find their way out together. They’d bring these terrible people to justice.

But Atem wasn’t here, and this was all Yugi had to feel close to him.

_‘There’s a radio in the prison. Shortwave, you know what that means? If it’s electronic, I can make it talk for me! There’s hope, Atem. I’ll come home to you, I promise._

_Like you said, my biggest mistake was always subtlety. I thought leaking information to a few journalists would be enough, that it was the safer way. I didn’t want the spotlight or the attention. Iryūjon is dangerous, I knew that. I thought I had to be subtle for your sake, for our friends sake. They could’ve hurt them, they could’ve hurt you._

_I should have exposed Iryūjon to the world. I should have shouted to anybody and everybody who could hear me. But now I have evidence, I have testimony. I can’t die yet, not before I get to that radio. They can’t cover it up now. It’s too broken._

_Wish me luck.’_

_-Yugi_

He advanced forward, making his way to the end of the ventilation ducts and jumping out. The former engineer walked cautiously along the path, guided only by the camera in his hands providing him with a clear view of what was in front of his face. If he saw people in the darkness, he made no move to acknowledge them. He made no sound, no sudden movement but the one to put distance between himself and the patients.

He was beyond terrified, beyond disgusted.  
This was what was accomplished with his help?

Padding down unfamiliar hallways, he went through the first door that would open for him… Which took quite a few tries he’d admit. Everything was locked or boarded up, and Yugi didn’t have to strength to bust through. Especially without knowing what was behind said doors.

He found his way into a control room, his eyes on the cell in front of him. There was someone in there!  
  
“ **You!** You’re not security… I was-- I’m a patient. I stole clothes off a dead body I found. Please, ya gotta get me outta here. Press the button, we can go _together_!” He didn’t hesitate to release the airlock, the idea of being able to travel with someone else and not navigate the horror alone tempted him too much to think about it.

The door slid open behind the glass, only for another patient to be waiting behind.

Before Yugi knew what was happening, the man’s face was being slammed into the glass with a sickening crack.

He wanted to scream.

Before today, Yugi Mutou had never seen a man die.

He turned tail and ran, not stopping until he found a way out into the courtyard. In his fear he disregarded everything, even the dangers that lie ahead.


	3. [Season 2] Into the Inferno

The first thing he noted was the fog. Similar the smoke he’d seen in the cell he woke up next to,  but thankfully without that unsettling quality of life to it. At this point, Yugi ignored every urge that came between his fight-or-flight response, more concerned with self preservation. He’d be ready to run at the drop of a pin. The scattering of dead guards slumped against any door he came across did nothing to calm his erratic nerves and the time for sympathy passed. He could do that when he was safe. When that would happen was far from his own estimate. Navigating the path of chained entrances, he looked up from the camera. Picture quality was nice, but it couldn’t quite compare to his own instincts. Especially when danger was around any corner. He’d capture evidence just as well if he left his eyes off the lens a few minutes more.

The sound of voices led him to the next gate, the arena not as clouded in fog as the others.

 _‘A basketball court?’_ Someone was definitely there, and they were… Playing basketball.  With a severed head. Yikes.

There was a good minute of contemplation before his attention was brought to the man trying to dribble with a ‘ball’ that wasn’t meant for the task.

“SPOILSPORT!” And now that man was running at him. Yugi screamed and shot past him, an even louder yell escaping him as he ran through two men standing guard at the gate. If he’d stopped to pay attention, he would’ve noticed they were twins. But he didn’t, instead he scrambled up the ladder feverishly ignoring the voices below. He looked behind himself once, to make sure he wasn’t followed. Unwilling to take a chance on going back down, he resolutely walked across the upper deck, the radio still on his mind. He could hear a patient mumbling to himself from across the way

“It’s not… They were-- Waiting for us in this place. Billy understood, they’ve always been here.” Yugi shook his head, feeling the guilty. These people were just as sick as anyone else. The violation of their rights as human beings came packed neatly in the guise of nonprofit work. He walked around for a bit before he found another way back into the building. Blood spatters adorned the walls, the shadows of patients run amok in the distance. The emergency sirens blared on, as if someone was even left to address the issue. Pained screams were all he heard above the shrill alarm. If he listened close, he could hear fists hitting meat; a dull, wet sound. Swallowing down the bile in his throat, he made his way through one of the doors with the hope he’d find what he came for.

The blonde stepped carefully into the room, following the light from one of the adjacent doorways. Video monitors lined the walls in a display that meant one thing; He found what he was looking for. A lone radio was set upon the desk.

Yugi sprinted over and took the receiver into his hand, starting the signal with a few fixes to the machinery. It took every bit of his self-control not to crush the darn thing with relief.

“H-hello?” The line crackled for a few moments before catching onto something.

“911, what’s your emergency?” Relief shot through him in that instant. He could tell someone, the whole world would know what happened tonight. This was justice for all those who had suffered, all the lives lost even before this chaotic night. Breathing deeply, Yugi prepared to signal back with what transpired.

Suddenly, a hand seized the control from his hand, forcing him to look to the attacker.

_Ekiyū!_

The man’s elbow collided with the bridge of Yugi’s nose, sending the young man to the ground harshly as he watched Ekiyū smash the radio with a baton. All his hopes were dashed, and soon he’d be dead if he cared to stick around. Scrambling to his knees, the blonde attempted to lunge through the doorway, only for the baton to crack down on his head. A heavy weight settled on his chest, crushing down upon him as he lay helpless. The former engineer was too disoriented to fight, body flailing under the weight of the much bigger man atop of him. The baton against his windpipe cut his air supply drastically, leaving him even more dazed than before. He could see the raven haired male’s lips moving, but couldn’t hear what was said past a distant sound.

“Mutou… Couldn’t… your… mouth shut?... play along.” A guttural growl sounded in the distance, spooking the corrupt official off him. His attacker scrambled to his feet with a frantic gaze.

“Do me a favor. Die here, Yugi.” With that, he was gone.

The blonde heaves, feeling the dark spots across his vision fade. Whatever was coming, it was best that he get out. Anything that scared away a massive sadist like Ekiyū had to be formidable, or just plain scary. Any deliberation on the subject was promptly destroyed by the sound of a door flying off its hinges, followed by the entrance of a large shadow. Heavy footsteps sounded, coming closer and closer. The control room was now the only source of light, drawing in whatever was out there.

He brought the camera into shaky hands, activating night vision. It seemed that his new guest caught on when he finally gathered the nerve to book it. The large figure came barreling through the door, a frightening sight to behold. Standing at an impressive height of six foot ‘fuck no’ with teeth bared was a man that could only be described as the human embodiment of a tank. Yugi barely had time to duck out of the way of the arm swinging for him. He shot forward, pushed forward by the sensation of the man’s elbow driving into his back.

The blond grunted in pain, the pressure on his lungs back in full force. His legs were weak under him but he couldn’t afford to stop now. That guy could easily rip him in two, and he didn’t want that. With what little strength he had, the former software engineer ran, not looking back to see what was following him. The sound of heavy footfalls were enough of an indicator of distance to keep him moving until he slipped through the tight space ahead. The fear kept him pushing and pushing until he was a corridor ahead and graced with peaceful solitude, save for the blaring alarms and the robotic voice announcing the evacuation protocol. He walked for a while in the dark, thanking god for the night vision function. It was all relatively tame (compared to earlier) until with the the sight of a patient writing on the walls with blood came right at him.

“Are you… Okay?” A stupid question, really.

“Don’t be afraid… We’re doing god’s work…”

“You should really get out of here, sir. There’s an evac--”

“... Whether we like it or not.” Yugi shakes his head at that, resigning himself to a very lonely path to freedom. He went to the corner of the room, while he still had the light and semblance or order and took out his notepad to write.

_‘Atem,_

_I don’t know how I was ever a part of this. I’ve prayed a lot in my life, oftentimes for the things I never thought I’d get. It’s how I got my friends, how I got you._

_I’m praying again, that if anyone not to survive this… It’s Ekiyu. Maybe it makes me a bad person to wish it, yes. But I don’t want him to hurt you, or anybody else. We’ve hurt so many people, he’s hurt so many people.’_

_̶𝐈̶𝐭̶’̶𝐬̶ ̶𝐩̶𝐨̶𝐬̶𝐬̶𝐢̶𝐛̶𝐥̶𝐞̶ ̶𝐭̶𝐡̶𝐚̶𝐭̶ ̶𝐰̶𝐞̶ ̶𝐛̶𝐨̶𝐭̶𝐡̶ ̶𝐝̶𝐞̶𝐬̶𝐞̶𝐫̶𝐯̶𝐞̶ ̶𝐭̶𝐨̶ ̶𝐝̶𝐢̶𝐞̶.̶_

He scribbled out the sentence, knowing it’d hurt his partner to see him thinking like that.

' _There’s no radio, no hope of reaching the outside anymore. But I’ll still try.’_

 

Yugi rose on shaky legs and took off onto the uncertain path ahead.

 


End file.
